Encourage Mental Health

In January, I officially became a college student again. For a couple years, I hadn't even considered returning to school to be a realistic goal for myself. By the summer of 2016, I finally felt confident and prepared enough to look into finishing my bachelor's degree. By November, I was accepted to SUNY Empire State College, ready to pursue a degree in Community and Human Services. Now, in the middle of March, I have just begun my second class in the program. One of these classes is Crisis Intervention. For our "icebreaker" post, we were asked to write about a turning point in our lives, a time that we felt nervous or uncertain but resulted in something fantastic. One of the most incredible turning points in my life was when I decided to sign-up for a TMI Project memoir writing workshop; it truly changed my life and changed the way I thought about my journey with mental illness. I wanted to use my blog to publically share what I wrote for my icebreaker discussion...

Valentine's Day can bring up many different emotions for people. Some look forward to February 14th and others dread it. Some make romantic plans for the day and others choose not to celebrate it. Throughout the years, I've experienced each of these feelings. Whether or not someone has a mental illness, this time of year can amplify feelings of loneliness or hopelessness. Through the beginning of February, virtually every store has displays or aisles of red decorations, boxes of chocolates, sentimental cards, teddy bears, and various stuffed animals that dance to old love songs when you press a button. It can be overwhelming. Even if someone doesn't agree with the commercialism of the holiday or even the holiday in general, these things can become a reminder that he or she doesn't have a significant other or romantic partner in his or her life. In 2015 and 2016, I was single on Valentine's Day. I was also working on my healing and learning how to cope w...

On New Year's Eve 2015, I remember saying, “Bring it on 2016.” I had no idea at the time that 2016 would be the most incredible year of my life. In no way would I like to use this post to brag, but I would like to use my experiences to provide hope to others and to let people know that each day provides new opportunities. After sharing my story through the TMI Project in Dec. 2015, I began writing and sharing more about my battle with mental illness. I started writing more about my personal struggles on the Facebook page I had for my psychiatric service dog in training, Joey, and it now has over 3,200 followers. Then I felt comfortable enough to start my own mental health blog where I discuss issues people with mental illness face. I also opened up about some of the more difficult parts of my journey like my hospitalizations. Letting people into my life in this way opened the doors to my future. I quickly fell in love with writing, and it built my confidence knowing that I c...

During the periods of my life when I have struggled the most with my mental illness, I've always had a strong and devoted support system who have been there to encourage me and remind me that I'm loved and that I will get through the difficult times. Not everyone dealing with mental illness has that same level of support, and the holiday season can make them feel more isolated. This year, The Cassie Cares Project (made up of me and my friends) wants to give the community and people online the chance to provide some much needed kindness to some people in Ulster County in NY who are battling mental illness. We will be making holiday cards with encouraging messages inside to distribute to the people involved with MHA of Ulster County. We want these messages to come from the community or anyone who has some kind words to share. This is a way you can directly brighten someone's holiday. Below are some starters you can use (as many as you choose) to share a nice message of an...

I love November because I get to see and hear about what people are thankful for in their lives. The few weeks leading up to Thanksgiving remind people what is truly important to them. This encourages me to reflect on what and who I have in my life rather than dwell on my illness. I’m thankful for many things: I have a place to live, clean water to drink, and food in the fridge. But what I’m most thankful for is my amazing support system. There is no material possession that compares to love and encouragement from those who care about you. I have my service dog Joey, my family, my friends, my mental health workers, and my community. I also have an extended support system of   people I’ve met through social media pages. Even on my difficult days, I know that there are people who believe in me and will be there for me. Many people with mental illness don’t have strong support systems; they often have to fight the battle on their own. I've seen people in the h...

This post includes the text and video of the speech I gave at the 2016 YWCA Tribute to Women Gala where I was honored with the Next Generation Award. Enjoy! Speech given: 10/21/16 YouTube video of my speech at 2016 YWCA Tribute to Women Gala I feel so honored to be celebrating with such an outstanding group of people tonight. I'd like to thank the women of the YWCA for all they do to empower women and girls to be the best they can be and to work hard to make a difference. Thank you for organizing this inspiring evening and bringing the community together.  Today I've been reflecting on how I got to this point, where I feel comfortable sharing my obstacles to encourage others. I've realized that it's the people in my life and what they've taught me about giving, courage, and loving unconditionally that has shaped who I am and what I hope for the future. Some of the most caring and dedicated individuals I've met on my journey are the mental hea...

In May of 2013, right after I turned 21, I suddenly developed a severe anxiety disorder that made it almost impossible for me to go out in public, drive, or stay home alone. By December of that year, I had spent almost 3 months total in different psychiatric hospitals. I had gained nearly 40 pounds, watched my long term relationship end, and had to painfully withdraw from my senior year at SUNY New Paltz.  For more than a year after my last hospital stay, I spent my days in big sweatshirts and doctors appointments. When I went out, I'd have to be so medicated that I would sometimes fall asleep in restaurants or at my little sister's basketball games. I watched as my friends got engaged as graduated college. I would think over and over about why this happened to me. Why were my dreams for my future ripped away from me? My life completely changed the day my mom learned about psychiatric service dogs. They could learn tasks to help people with anxiety disorders like mine live more...